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Do you have the same feelings about your gym , that I have about my CrossFit box?

Clearly this is a somewhat rhetorical question, as it’s not like I know you personally, but I really want you to consider what your [past??] gym membership has been like.

A new CF member asked me today, what I did before CrossFit. My response: Mon/Wed/Fri – Weight lifting, Tuesday/Thursday – Cardio, Saturday/Sunday – Off. Literally about 1 – 2 hours per day each time. I was consistent, had perfected the art of “waving and walking” to the somewhat aggressive patrons that are closely associated with gym chains (read: meat market), avoided the requisite $6 a pop “healthy” juice bar, and my body looked good…but I was anything but “good”.

My trainer, that I was paying big bucks for a 30-minute session once a week, refused to tell me why he had me do a certain combination/supersets/workouts, etc; he insisted that was what he was there for and that I only needed to concern myself with the results. 0_o. Errrrr..no lol.

My 2 hours a day had inched up to almost 3 hours (cardio, weights, more cardio), making me feel like a bad 80’s workout movie. I was never home and my friends, whew, they thought they might have to stage an intervention!

I guess my point is this: I don’t feel like that at all in my CrossFit Box. I actually, feel like I have a little second/third family that understands the healthy, fitness, workout part of my life that I invest so much time, effort and money in to. They don’t ask “why” I’m doing slow cardio before each WOD, they ask “what are the results that you get” and “what types of slow cardio do you do”? They are both insane and insanely supportive when I feel myself flagging during a workout or let my thoughts interfere with getting a new PR (personal record) with my back squat.

We compete against each other like the Kennedy’s at Hyanis Port (but with way less money!), we exchange tips on our mechanics/form, we celebrate birthdays and discover little bits of information that make us truly unique (clearly I like comic books). We trust and have faith in each other…simply from joining a CrossFit “gym” and sweating out sucky, body/mind numbing WODs together. And really, we do it because we like it…those WODs make us forget about obligations, work, parents, children, siblings, etc., for an hour; because if we can handle that shit, we can handle anything that life throws at us.

This in no way happened overnight; it took time, consistently showing up at class, shutting up, lifting smart, carrying my own weight during WODs, and encouraging others. Like any relationship, you have to invest in it before you see the fruits/benefits, so don’t go showing up at a box with an expectation that you’ll be hit with that feeling of “fam” in 2.5 seconds….it won’t happen. Put in the work, be open to change and smile a lot. It helps…trust me.

The picture in this post of “Marvel Characters” as kids, completely epitomizes the elation I feel when I get to class and see my boxmates. We play together (really, all of us doing pull ups at the same time looks almost EXACTLY like that fan art!! lol); help each other become better athletes and recognize that in our own way we’re all super hero’s, with special abilities that allow us to meld together as a team/fam. If I’m better at heavy loads, I have a box mate that I can team up with who has insane skills in gymnastics, i.e. walking hand stands (so not there yet!!!).

Even though the Work Out of the Day is likely going to make a person feel like they want to quit (possibly hurl; at the minimum lay down flat on the floor), they won’t because their CF family is there to swoop in, spot you, prod you to up your weight or just generally get you to achieve more that you thought you ever could.

All of THAT, is most definitely worth the money, time and effort that I put into CrossFit…although the #badass body doesn’t hurt either.

I sort of rambled in this one, and it’s a bit long, but I think you get my point.

Toodles!!!

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So, lets talk frankly for a second here:
I’m in the CrossFit Open, after doing CrossFit for less than 5 months. I am in my 30’s (inching closer and closer to my pseudo-midlife crisis of single, sexy and no prospects lol), have never been injured and continue to surprise myself with what I have been able to achieve with my CrossFit program.

However, after all of that, the main reason I decided to do the Open, was because I wanted to see where the “holes” are concerning my abilities with strength, cardio, etc. I figure, hell, it’s $20 bucks…the point is to learn all I can from those around me, my coaches, and my competition. That is exactly what I’m doing. Each Open WOD showed me EXACTLY what I need to focus on: 13.1 Snatches/Olys/Form, 13.2 Box Jumps/Cardio/Endurance,13.3 sheeeeeeeeeet. Something lol!

So when my box mates were like, “Hey, are you doing it again?”, (“it” being a repeat of 13.2 to potential improve my total reps) I was like “Hell nah!”, because really, I have to make it through the rest of this Open competition and, believe it or not, I’m flipping tired lol.

A lot of these folks are early/mid 20’s, grad students or early career folks; I’m slighly past that stage. Although, real talk, a Master’s (45+) chick beat my reps too (but only by a bit…and she’s a freaking competitor in the summer league!! I totally aspire to be like her!!). On St. Patricks Day, I sat home and drank tea, ate paleo pumpkin muffins and watched “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (awesome!). That is my idea of a good time. No really, that’s my good time.
That and sleep. Lots of good, deep, soul-calming sleep lol.

With that said: I will continue documenting my “holes”, to determine how I should adjust my program to get better, so that next year I don’t feel like I’m going to pass out because of a few box jumps or throw my back out because my deadlifts turn into “Good Mornings”.

These are the musings of the CrossFitter M^2 and her 30 Day Paleo Challenge: to explore strange new recipes that do not include wheat, legumes, dairy, sugars and/or processed foods. To seek out new opportunities to learn about her body, eat clean/train dirty, understand a food processor, and boldly go where she has never gone before: her very own kitchen.

CrossFitter’s log, Paleo date:021213 – D22

Today, I smelled, nay; INHALED the sugar associated with decadent, evil, glazed and jelly filled donuts. Once again, the supervisor, b/c he loves us, brought in treats. And it was 2 dozen varied donuts…and lord knows that I wanted one. Literally my nose, was on the box, as I breathed deeply…from my diaphragm…multiple times.

It smelled soooooooooo good. I could practically taste the sugar through my lymph nodes. I could have had one…I mean seriously, who could blame me? I’ve been doing Paleo pretty well…I deserve a treat don’t I? It’s just a flipping doe-nut!

Except…for one little, teeny, tiny problem: I’ve been eating clean for so long, no bread, no dairy, no cheese, hardly any sugar beyond the natural stuff, that I am actually scared of eating a donut. I’m scared of the bubble guts that are sure to start up…the cramps that will strike within 2 minutes of inhaling the wheat/sugar combination…the sweat that will surely appear on my upper lip when….er, I’ll leave that last part off. You get the point; don’t you?

I think one of the biggest benefit of this 30 Day Paleo Challenge, is that I actually don’t want to eat the bad stuff. I don’t want to deal with the pain or the bloats or the icky feeling that always strikes at some point within eating the *good* stuff.

Another benefit? I HAVE NEVER COOKED OR BAKED SO MUCH IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! I, me the chick that would freeze her mom’s home cooking piece by piece so I could stretch it until her next visit, brought a food processor! A FOOD PROCESSOR!

She slices, dices, shreds and purees and damn she’s beautiful. She is cutting my prep time almost completely in half. I’m experimenting with more and more recipes. I have “Go-To” websites that have absolutely delicious, hearty and varied recipes with hilarious, sarcastic chefs. Really, could you ask for anything more?

These people started out just like you and me…wanting to eat well, reduce waste and WOD like BillyBadAsses. They are here to help; you just have to take the kale leaf that’s being offered; and pass on the the french fries that are going to cause “burgles”.

22 days down, and 8 to go for this challenge. But this right here is so my new lifestyle. I’ve invested myself in to it. I’m losing inches that loved me for years, and it’s only been 22 days. Let me say that again: 22 days = lost inches. Ya’ll betta get right and get on it.

Real Food: The Final FrontierThese are the musings of the CrossFitter M^2 and her 30 Day Paleo Challenge: to explore strange new recipes that do not include wheat, legumes, dairy, sugars and/or processed foods.

To seek out new opportunities to learn about her body, eat clean/train dirty, understand a food processor, and boldly go where she has never gone before: her very own kitchen

CrossFitter’s log, Paleo date:12413 – D4

I smell the donuts that they brought in this morning. Dunkin’ Donuts. The Walgreens of the sugar set, i.e. one on every corner. They brought them for a work meet and greet, and they smell DIVINE. Knowing that donuts (Glazed!! Pumpkin!! Chocolate Glazed!!!) was the meal of choice this morning, I pre-emptively ate my sweet potato hash browns and red bell pepper, sausage and bacon egg frittata; with a side of tea (no sugar, no honey, just lemon).

It worked! I smelled it, but was not tempted to eat it. After only four days on Paleo, I already see and feel a difference in my body and clothes. My belly fat, though not excessive, seems less; abs are making an appearance. My waist, already small, seems to be getting smaller; at least judging by my belt and pants.

I’ve been in this situation before; on the precipice of the body that I know that I can have and I’ve frittered it away on pepperoni pizza and chocolate cake. II want to ride this train to the end, but I have a baby shower to go to this weekend.

So I’m doing a 30 Day Paleo Challenge starting January 20th and I’m attempting to be proactive by developing recipes, grocery shopping and eating my sugar loaded food now.

Sidebar: Most programs or books that I’ve read about Paleo suggest throwing out the bad foods; clean out the pantry and freezer so ypu wont be tempted. I find that to be absolutely reprehensible and even culturally offensive. African-Americans were, historically, raised to salvage whatever food was possible and never throw away anything…that comes from hundreds of years of not having an excess of foods to waste. Its amazing what you can do with leftovers when thats all you are given to eat!

“Chitlins” anyone?

In colonial times, hogs were slaughtered in December. During slavery, in order to maximize profits, slave owners commonly fed their slaves in the cheapest manner possible. At hog butchering time, the preferred cuts of meat were reserved for the master’s use. The remains, such as fatback, snouts, ears, neck bones, feet, and intestines were given to the slaves for their consumption. Source: Wikipedia

No, I’m not posting a pic of Chitlins, because in my personal opinion, it’s just nasty. However, I recognize that when you have little to no choice in what to eat, it’s amazing what you will do to survive.

The reality is this: to throw perfectly good food away is just plain wrong. Donate it to the homeless, your church or feed it to your non Paleo friends, but don’t waste it. We are blessed to even have these “1st World” problems of choosing what types of food we can eat. Let’s not allow our arrogance to disregard those that would do anything to be in our shoes.

*Steps off 20-inch [soap] box*

So any who, I hit up Whole Foods and dammmnnnn my eye balls popped out at the cost of some of this stuff…

Coconut Oil for friggin $17 bucks! Pass.

Almond Flour for more than I care to remember (itty, bitty bag too!). Pass.

Salmon at $26.99 a pound! Friggin hand-carried and laced in gold! Pass!

I ended up picking up some organic lettuce (small), coconut spread at $4.99 a pop and some Yogi Green Tea “Muscle Recovery”.

What did this trip teach me? Trader Joe’s is a God-send, Costco and my freezer will be my best friends and we gonna have to plan very well for this Paleo Challenge…like on an insane, parent of triplets level.

I think I’m about to become my mother…lol (minus the kids and the hubby of course!)

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